Such a Time as This
by Val Evenstar
Summary: Miranda works in the SGC cafeteria. She never expected that she could be called on to save SG1 ... and the world. OK, not quite the world, but it sounds so good! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Such a Time as This**

_by Val Evenstar_

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**Author's Note:** On a totally random whim, I am simultaneously publishing this and 'The Uncanny' because I've abandoned the SG-1 universe for to long. Both of these were written... a year ago? It's been that long? Anyway, at the time I had no idea what a Mary-Sue was. The main character of this story does have some Sue-ish characteristics, but by no means is she romantically involved with anyone. Period. So I'd define her as an OC. Both of these start out pretty slowly but get into some good action, if I do say so myself. And this one is quite heavily infused with my Christian beliefs. I hope you enjoy the story, though; and please do let me know what you think!

* * *

Miranda stood on her little stool behind the serving counter. It was Saturday, and lunch time; traffic through the mess was thick. She leaned down and opened the little fridge next to her, searching for another can of pickles. When she straightened up, she was gazing into a pair of sparkling blue eyes.

Miranda smiled. "Hello, Colonel Carter. Tuna fish again today - hope you don't mind."

The colonel smiled and held out her plate. "It's fine, Anda. You need a ride home today or is Cassie picking you up?"

"Sergeant Bates already offered... Hi, Colonel Mitchell, Teal'c, Dr. Jackson."

"Hey, Anda," replied Dr. Jackson, reaching for a sandwich.

Teal'c also reached towards the counter, but instead of picking up a sandwich, he lifted Anda into the air!

She gasped as the room tilted violently and then settled as she found herself seated on Teal'c's broad shoulder. Anda clutched his jacket convulsively as she looked down and saw the ground way too far away for her liking. "What's going on?" she demanded, her voice slipping into a higher register. "I have to work... and I'm scared of heights!"

Dr. Jackson and Colonel Mitchell grinned up at her. "Happy birthday, Anda!"

"What?" she asked, dazed. Her birthday? Oh... how had she forgotten?

"Hey, everyone - it's Anda's birthday today!" announced Colonel Mitchell.

People started getting up from their tables and making their way over to congratulate Anda.

Behind her, Airman Bensen, who was in charge of the galley, was grumbling as usual. "What are you doing with my assistant? How am I supposed to work the lunchtime rush without her? Put her down, Teal'c, this isn't a circus - though you could be the strong man and she could be the dwarf. I've only got an hour before I have to cook -"

"Airman, give her a break!" said Colonel Carter. "Go get the cake, will you?"

"Cake?! Why would I make a cake for her, when she -"

"It's in the fridge. At least that's what Dr. Lam said - and of course you didn't bake it, that's why we chose it."

"Yes, ma'am," Bensen said sulkily as he headed towards the fridge. Anda smiled to herself. Bensen had given up the argument with Colonel Carter so easily - and maybe not just because she outranked him. Anda had always thought Bensen didn't really mean it when he yelled at her. He certainly didn't like her, but this proved that he at least tolerated her.

The room spun again, and Anda gripped Teal'c's shoulder. "Can you put me down, now, please? I really am afraid of heights!"

"It's your birthday, Anda - and besides, f he puts you down no one will be able to see you," said Dr. Jackson.

Anda didn't think that that would be so terrible. She watched as Dr. Lee took some candles out of his pocket and put them in the cake.

"Eighteen today, Anda?" asked Dr. Lam.

Miranda looked down and smiled at the doctor. "What, did Dr. Lee put on too many candles?"

"No - and I hope you don't mind me saying that you look a lot younger. When you're older you'll appreciate that kind of comment."

Anda made an impish face, and then belatedly realized that it had only made her look like a 13-year old.

"OK, Teal'c, you can put her down now," said Colonel Mitchell as he finished lighting the candles.

Anda welcomed the feel of solid ground beneath her, but then reluctantly got up on a chair when people complained that they couldn't see her.

"Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you!"

Anda smiled as she looked around at all her friends singing. Even Bensen was joining in! And you wouldn't get this anywhere else, at another job or even at school, she told herself. Then she blinked back tears as she felt a rush of gratitude for all these wonderful people who had taken the time to talk to her, help her with her homework, and be her friends, even though she was so much younger than them and she only worked in the cafeteria.

"Happy birthday, dear Anda! Happy birthday to you!"

They clapped and cheered as Anda leaned forward to blow out the candles.

"Make a wish!" "Come on, you only have eighteen of them to blow out!" "Happy birthday!"

I wish, she thought, that there will be something I can do, one day, to thank all of them...

She blew. The candles flickered. Puzzled, she blew again, and then started back when the flames changed color!

"They're trick candles!" she cried, and blew again. This time the flames turned green!

"Made them myself!" said Dr. Lee.

Anda laughed and blew again. This time the candles went out.

She plucked them out and reached for the knife. "Thanks, Dr. Lee. Can I borrow these for Cassie, or do they only work once?"

"Oh, they're one-timers. Besides, Cassie would need more, wouldn't she?"

"Yeah, but they are so cool!" Anda finished cutting the cake. "Cake time, everyone! I hope there's enough..."

"Wait." Colonel Carter stepped up, holding a small box wrapped in silver paper. "Can't have a birthday without presents, right?"

Anda returned Carter's hug as she took the box. "Thank you! I wasn't expecting any of this, you know."

"Could have something to do with this being a surprise party," drawled Colonel Mitchell.

Anda carefully removed the paper, and found a small jewelry case inside. She opened it and drew out a small green pendant on a delicate gold chain. "It's lovely!"

Carter grinned. "Cassie said you'd never had any jade, so I took the liberty of selecting some. Here, hold it up to the light."

Anda held it up, and gasped. Etched inside the thin green pendant was a beautiful filigree cross!

"Oh, thank you, it's perfect!"

"Custom made," said Carter, obviously proud of her selection. "All the others were eight-fold paths, but since you're not Buddhist..."

"It's wonderful - thank you so much, everyone!" Then something suddenly occurred to her. "Why isn't Cassie here? If she'd known about this, she -"

"She thought it would spoil the surprise if she came," Colonel Mitchell explained. Then he lowered his voice as he said, "Listen, Anda, I wish we could have a proper party for you, but this'll have to be shorter than usual because we all have to get back to work or Landry'll -"

"Or Landry will what?" came a very familiar voice from behind them.

The look on Colonel Mitchell's face was classic, thought Anda, as she scrambled to her feet. If she hadn't been so startled she might have laughed out loud.

"General," said the Colonel as he snapped to attention.

Anda came to attention, too - one of the many things she'd learned from working in the base.

"Why wasn't I invited to this little shindig, Colonel? It looks like fun."

"Your invitation must've gotten lost in the mail, sir," Mitchell replied, sounding a little guilty.

"Actually, General, this whole thing was my idea," said Dr. Jackson.

"I see." Landry looked around, then smiled at Anda. "At ease, people. Why's everyone just standing around? This is a party!"

Anda grinned as the atmosphere once more became festive. She was sure she had the best job in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Hmmm, almost 100 hits and no reviews. Do SG-1 fans just not review, or is this story that bad? Personally I think it's the better of the two, but I'm starting to wonder. Please drop me a line to let me know what you think!

* * *

Anda always took Sundays off, but she was back at the Cheyanne Mountain Complex on Monday evening after school. SG-1 wasn't there. Anda knew better than to ask where they'd gone. This was a military base, after all, and there were a lot of secrets being kept underneath the mountain. When she'd come to work there, they'd told her that it was a research facility. But that didn't explain why most of the people weren't scientists. And there was that klaxon that went off at least once every day: "Unscheduled off-world activation."

Off-world?

When Anda had started working there, Bensen would complain about how scientists thought up the worst names for alarms. Take a simple drill, he'd grumble, give it a high-sounding name no one can understand, and they think it's something important.

But Anda had eyes and ears; she knew something terribly important was happening on that base. Whenever the klaxon sounded, any high-ranking officers in the mess would start; usually, some would leave. When there was a general there, he would always leave, an anxious look on his face.

Something was going on, but Anda didn't particularly want to know. She cared, of course, because it meant that sometimes people would leave. Mostly they would come back. Sometimes, they wouldn't.

Once it had been Cassie's mom who hadn't come back. That had been before Anda had started working at the complex, but it still haunted her. She'd been at Cassie's house studying for an exam when the general had come to the door. They'd spent the next two hours in each other's arms, crying. Cassie hadn't been the only one to lose a mother that day. Janet Fraiser had been like family to Anda, too. Since Anda was an orphan - and one of Cassie's best friends, even though she was years younger - Dr. Fraiser had welcomed Anda into her home.

Cassie had become Anda's big sister after Janet Fraiser had died. They needed each other. Anda still lived at the children's home, but she spent most of her time at Cassie's, and when Anda started college, they planned to rent an apartment together.

A month after her mom died, Cassie had gotten a job for Anda. "You'll like it," she'd assured Anda. "The pay might not be the greatest, but you can get plenty of hours. The food is horrible, but the people are great. They'll love having you around."

Better than working at McDonald's, Anda had thought at the time.

She should've picked McDonald's.

Because sometimes when Besen told Anda that someone had been reassigned, what he really meant was that they'd been killed.

But Cassie had been right; the people were great. It was hard for Anda not to get attached to them. Most of the people there didn't see teens very often, and if they did have families, they couldn't spend much time with them. Anda liked people; she could listen to anyone and talk to most people. After a few months, Anda had become a favorite on the base.

It was still rather strange, though, being a civilian - and a teenager - working on a military base. Eventually, though, Anda had gotten used to it. She called everyone "sir", "ma'am" or "Dr.". Whenever Bensen got angry, she'd learned to stand at attention and yell "Yes, sir!" after every sentence he said. Anda knew she didn't have to, because he was only an Airman, but it made him happy and shortened the lectures. Anda knew how to come to attention and salute when a general walked in, and how to tell a person's rank.

It wasn't a bad job, if one didn't mind the food. Anda knew that most people referred to the kitchen as the "Bensen burner", and she knew why. Secretly, she'd often imagine how much better it would be if Bensen would just get sick once in a while and leave her with the kitchen to herself. But he never got sick, and she only had the kitchen to herself at nights, when most everyone was gone. Occasionally an SG team would come in after hours, famished, and she would cook something for them. Or sleep-deprived scientists would come and beg her for something high in caffeine and sugar.

Most nights after work, though, she just did her homework while she waited for Cassie to pick her up. That is, if she didn't get a ride home with someone else.

This Monday night was pretty ordinary, though. Anda was working on her math problems, getting help from a PhD in exchange for her trademark cappuccino. There was a quiet card game going on a few tables over.

Anda toyed with the idea of asking where SG-1 had gone, but she knew better by then. They might come back in a few days, or even a few weeks. Hopefully all of them would come back at the same time, but you could never tell.

She looked at her watch. Cassie would be there in half an hour. Anda turned her attention back to the math problems.

* * *

They didn't come back the next day, or the next.

Thursday night, Anda sat on the little couch in the corner of the dining room, staring at her Russian textbook. Dr. Jackson was usually there on Thursdays to help her with her Russian. He was the one who'd convinced her to learn it in the first place. It had been fairly useful, Anda had to admit, since many of the foreigners who came to the base were Russian.

She idly flipped the page and stared at the words.

"Zdrastvichye," said a voice beside her.

Anda looked up, hoping to see Dr. Jackson, but she knew that wasn't his voice. "Zdrastvichye," she replied.

"Kak dyela?"

"Spasiba, kharaso," Anda said. Fine, thanks.

"Dr. Jackson told me I could give you a hand, if he wasn't back by now."

"Spasiba... kak vas zavoot?" Anda didn't know his name.

"Dr. Mironov. Jackson should be back by now, actually. Something must be keeping him, I know there's a few translations he's wanted to work on pretty badly. But anyway, you need help. I speak Russian, you're learning it, so let's talk."

Anda smiled. This was why she liked language lessons the best; she could talk about anything - as long as she spoke Russian - and he would correct her grammar and fill in the words she didn't know.

"So when do you think Dr. Jackson will get back? I still need to thank Colonel Carter for the gift...it was a.. What's the Russian word for 'jade'?"

"Hey, Anda. Good day today?"

"Sure, Cass. You know most of them are."

"Mmm."

Anda adjusted the driver's seat so that she could reach the controls. Being four and a half feet and about eighty pounds made it hard for her, sometimes. But at least she could see over the dashboard.

I should be able to get my license soon, she mused. Then Cassie won't have to drive me everywhere - that is, if I manage to somehow get a car, too.

"Friday night," she said out loud. "Going anywhere?"

"Not that I know of."

"What, your boyfriend out of town or something?" Anda teased.

"Nah."

Anda frowned. Usually Cassie was more talkative, not terse and faraway. "You OK?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." But Cassie's long sigh betrayed her true feelings. "Long day, I guess."

Yeah, right, thought Anda. Cassie was a night person. She was never tired at nine, or even ten, even if she'd been up the whole night before, studying. Anda drove along the narrow road, thinking. What could possibly upset easygoing Cassie like this?

"Oh, no, you're not having boy problems, are you?" she asked. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean anything by what I just said..."

"No, no," Cassie sighed. "Nothing like that. I'm fine, really."

"Cass, I know you too well by now. You aren't usually like this. Need to talk?"

"No." Cassie turned the radio up. "Don't drive so fast."

Anda frowned; she was only going two miles per hour over the speed limit. She braked and signaled, then turned into a nearby parking lot.

"What are you doing?" asked Cassie.

Anda parked and turned off the radio. "Something's eating you, Cassie. What's going on?"

"We've got to get you back home, Anda. You've got work tomorrow, and an exam next week."

"Cassie..." Anda looked at her friend, searching for a way to connect to her. Usually, Cassie was so open and friendly, more like a best friend than the big sister she was being tonight. "You matter more than any of that. Look, if you don't want to talk, that's fine, but...come on, I'm your sister, I'll back you up. You know that."

They sat together in the darkness, staring into the shadows where they knew the other was.

Cassie turned away and slammed her fist into the armrest. "General Landry came over today."

Anda jumped as she heard the anger in Cassie's voice, but she didn't know how the general's visit could have upset Cassie so much. The last time a general had come calling, though...

Anda's heart skipped a beat; she caught her breath. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"Oh, it's ok, no one's dead," Cassie said quickly, and then breathed bitterly, "At least, not yet."

"What?!"

"Never mind. Listen, I can't talk about this right now. Tomorrow, maybe."

Anda nodded slowly, confused.

"Look... let's get out of here. I mean, let's go somewhere, do something. It's Friday night, right?"

"Yeah."

"I just need to get away from all this... let's go to a movie, or shopping or something. Just you and me, have a little girl time, whatever. Have fun, forget school and everything for a while. Kay?"

"Sure. That's cool. Which way is the theatre?"

"Umm.. past the freeway a bit, I think."

Anda turned on the lights and started the engine. Something was not right... but she wasn't going to find out, at least not tonight. But she had the terrible feeling that whatever Cassie was running from was soon going to catch up to them both.

"God, please give Cassie peace of mind over whatever's bugging her," she prayed silently. "And... keep us safe."

* * *

**Translations:**

Zdrastvichye - 'hello'

Kak dyela - 'how are you?'

Spasiba, kharaso - 'fine, thanks'

Kak vas zavoot - 'what's your name (polite)'

If you are a native speaker, I will beg your pardon for the terrible spelling - the Latin script doesn't to justice to the words, but I couldn't exactly put in the words in Russian.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hmmm, now that I think of it, I really like the character of Dr. Lam. Pity they don't use her more in the show. Enjoy the chapter - hopefully it answers some questions!

* * *

Anda looked at the clock. She had ten minutes left before she could leave. Normally, she didn't mind hanging around and talking a little afterwards, especially on Saturdays when everyone was more relaxed. But today was different. Cassie had nearly promised that as soon as Anda got home, they would talk. Anda wanted to find out what was going on. All throughout the day, she'd had the strangest feeling. Like the kind you get when someone's watching you, or saying something behind your back, because they know something that you don't know.

"Hi, Mira. You almost ready?"

Anda looked back at Dr. Lam. "Almost. A few minutes more."

"You're not sticking around today?" The doctor fixed Anda with her penetrating dark eyes.

"No," said Anda, puzzled. Why was everyone acting so strange today?

"Well, I'll see you by the elevator in a bit."

"Sure, thanks, Dr. Lam," Anda replied.

I must be imagining things, Anda thought. There's nothing unusual about riding home with Dr. Lam on Saturdays. Nothing at all.

But she called me Mira... Anda frowned. The doctor only used that name for her when they were talking privately, about important things. Then Anda called her Lynn and the doctor called her Mira. It was their little way of showing that they were talking as friends, and wouldn't tell anyone else about anything they said.

Was Dr. Lam trying to tell her something?

Anda sighed, trying to figure out if she had done anything she shouldn't have. So she hadn't exactly been the most pleasant person to be around today, but she hadn't been rude or mean, had she? She'd done her job. She'd done her best to be genuinely friendly to everyone. "God, what's going on?" she asked under her breath.

Anda watched the clock, willing it to speed up. It was 14:58; she could go at three.

"Miss Wong?"

Anda jumped, and turned to see the Chief walking towards her. More surprises. No one had called her "Miss Wong" since the last time she'd been to the principal's office. Anda watched the sergeant carefully as he approached.

He wasn't there for coffee. It looked like he was there on business.

Anda's mind raced, searching for a reason. She couldn't find one, so she straightened and said, "Yes, sir?"

"General Landry would like to see you."

"Now?" Anda's mind was numb. Had she done something wrong? Was she going to lose her job? And why on earth would the general want to see her?

"This way, please."

Anda automatically picked up her purse and followed the sergeant. Lord, help me! she cried silently.

What for, though? she asked herself, and it scared her when she couldn't find an answer.

* * *

Anda stood outside the door, nervously fingering her purse as she looked up at the plaque, waiting.

Then she heard a voice from the inside. "Come in, please," and the sergeant opened the door for her.

Anda walked in automatically, then panicked. Should she salute? Or shake his hand? She settled for coming to attention and shifting her purse to her left hand, so she could either salute or shake, depending on what it seemed he wanted.

But he just dismissed the Chief and waved her to a chair. "Hello, Anda."

Anda sat cautiously, heart racing, waiting.

The general leaned forward over his desk. "Anda..."

He stopped, looked away, and sighed.

Surprise and fear coursed through Anda. She could see the lines of stress and pain on the general's face; what had she done?!

"I want you to listen to something. I wish you didn't have to. I wish I didn't have to say any of this, but right now it's my only option."

He faced her, and then his expression softened as he read the apprehension on Anda's face. "It's nothing you did, Anda. You're not going to lose your job."

Anda managed a nervous smile and took a deep breath. What am I so afraid of? she chided herself.

"I just need you to listen right now. Then I want you to think about it, and then tell me what you think within 24 hours, ok?"

Anda nodded, and reminded herself that even if Landry was trying to be kind since she was only a teen, he was still a general.

General Landry looked down at his desk, and fiddled with a pen, searching for the right words. "You know SG-1, right? Colonel Mitchell, Colonel Carter, Teal'c, Dr. Jackson..."

Anda nodded. He knew that she knew them, so what was he trying to get at?

"And you're an intelligent girl, so you probably know that this base is more than it seems."

He looked at her for confirmation, and Anda squeaked out a, "Yes, sir."

"So it wouldn't surprise you to hear that SG-1 isn't a team of research scientists."

"No sir." She couldn't imagine a fighter pilot like Mitchell or a ... weapons specialist... like Teal'c spending their days in labcoats.

"Well, I know you're wondering what this all has to do with you. I'm just going to say that...well, SG-1 spends a lot of time getting in and out of trouble."

No kidding, Anda said to herself.

"And it just so happens that they've gotten themselves into a pretty big scrape right now, and..." The general sighed. "And there is something that you could do to help them," he said, the words coming out reluctantly.

Anda's eyes widened. She didn't understand.

"I wouldn't blame you if you just said you're not interested and walked out the door right now, Anda. I wouldn't even be asking you if you weren't... you're different, somehow, Anda. Now," Landry fixed his eyes on Anda's. "Can I ask you to tell me right now if you want to hear any more, or not?"

Anda swallowed. Help SG-1? How could she, she was only seventeen, she couldn't even drive yet, and they were probably some special-ops type unit, she'd only be getting into trouble and for heaven's sake she wasn't Alex Rider!

She wanted to walk out, go home, forget the nightmare.

Trouble. A big scrape. Understatements, all, she could tell. Lord, help me!

Lord, help them!

The least she could do was listen.

"What exactly do you mean, sir, that I could help them?"

A tired smile pulled up the corner of the general's mouth. "Ninety-nine out of a hundred would've walked out that door, Anda. You're something special, all right."

"Let me reiterate that you're only under an obligation to listen and use your best judgment. About SG-1 - they've gotten themselves into a tight spot. Imprisoned in a hostile compound, to be precise. We've tried everything we can to get them out, and believe me when I say that we've tried things normal people wouldn't dream of. You probably know they went missing about two weeks ago. Well, we've contacted allies, tried negotiating, sending in rescue teams, but none of it has worked. The person who has them doesn't want to let them go. We think he's going to kill them.

"Three days ago we received some new intelligence - a way into the compound. We dismissed it, though, because - no one we had was small enough to go in that way."

Anda sunk down in her chair. Why hadn't she been born tall and wide, instead of short and skinny?

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You could do it, Anda. I'm not saying you have to, I'm saying it's a possibility. Now I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.

"SG-1 is trapped on another planet. The person who's got them calls himself Baal, he's a powerful, maniacal alien with a grudge against them. And - well, here's a picture of what you'd have to go through to get into the compound."

Numb, Anda leaned forward. She blinked her eyes once, twice, three times before the image came into focus. Aliens? Other planets? Power-crazed villains? What was this, Marvel comics? But he looked so serious...

There was a satellite picture of what looked like a rusty pipe opening into some bushes. They had bushes on other planets? There were other planets with breathable air, other earthlike planets? The picture was overlaid with a meter bar for scale. The opening was less than forty centimeters wide.

General, you've got the wrong girl...

There was another picture, too, something of a map, with a path traced in green, starting at what Anda presumed was the...hole... and ending in some sort of room.

Crawl through weird pipes on another planet? Who knows what had been in them, what diseases she could pick up?

He'll kill them...

Anda stood up, and blinked. She took a breath, trying to calm her shattered nerves.

"General. Thank you for being honest with me, sir. I'm truly flattered that you would ask me something like this. I also understand..."

Anda's voice broke, and she sucked in another breath. "Sir, I'll report back within 24 hours. And if I have any questions," she said, bitterly as she realized how things had already been worked out, "I'll ask Dr. Lam. Sir."

The general nodded, and stood up. "Thank you, Miranda." He nodded to the airman, who opened the door for her.

Anda rushed out, trying to hold back the tears. But she had only gone ten paces down the hallway before she started sobbing.

"Oh, God, help us all."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** So this chapter is unashamedly pro-Christian. Fitting, considering Thanksgiving is tomorrow... hope you enjoy!!

* * *

It was a pleasant room, facing south, with two large windows through which the full moon flooded the room with soft silver light. There was a sofa, two large comfortable chairs, and a thick carpet. There was a small table, with a lamp nearby, and books and papers scattered around on its surface.

It was a room for living in, a homely room that was home for Cassie and Anda.

They sat together on the sofa, as they once had two years ago, when the world had turned upside down.

"Anda..."

The smaller girl reached for a sofa cushion and buried her face in it, then took a deep breath.

"I am so, so sorry. I didn't even want him to ask you, when he came here to ask me if he should even try asking you at all... but I told him he should, even though I didn't want to, because I knew that you..."

"Anda, I am so sorry."

"No." Anda leaned back into the sofa's comforting softness. "No, Cass. Don't be. Not for me."

"Mira, he meant it when he said it was his only option, asking you."

"I know, Lynn."

The young doctor came forward and perched on the arm of the sofa. "He won't make you do anything. I promise."

"Yeah. He said so. I believe him."

"About there being other worlds, and aliens, too?" asked Cassie.

Miranda looked up at her big sister, and nodded. "I think somehow I've known that for a long time."

Cassie looked down, and patted Anda's knee.

"You're from another world, aren't you, Cass."

Cassie looked up quickly, and said earnestly, "You don't mind, do you? I've been trying to tell you, I guess that's one reason I got you that job..."

"Of course it doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're.. friends. Sisters. You being an alien doesn't change anything."

Cassie smiled. "I'm still human, you know. And I'm an American now. Tau'ri. This is my home."

"Mmmm." Anda sighed. "Look, I'm sorry I was such a jerk this afternoon."

Cassie laughed. "You had an excuse. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"You were displaying some signs of shock, Mira. Actually I was surprised how well you handled everything."

"How well!" Anda let out a bitter laugh. "I..."

"I'm just so scared," she whispered. "After I'd found out everything I needed, I just ran away. I mean, I couldn't think, it was like everything had stopped. I went to that place behind the church, the little alcove in the woods, and I.. I just cried for a while."

"I don't blame you. I don't know anyone who wouldn't have."

"Yeah, well... then I realized how stupid I was being. Sitting there crying for me, asking "Why me?", while...

"I'd been blaming God, and it just occurred to me how idiotic it was to blame someone who's perfect, who never makes mistakes. I prayed, for a long time, I don't know how long. And He promised that He'd never leave me, that He'd always be there for me, and He was.

"It was still so hard, just to pray... "Your will be done". I was so scared, I guess because I already knew, sort of..."

"Anda, you don't have to do anything if you don't want."

"Yeah. I know. Because then I started asking again, "Why me?" And why? Why did I ever meet you, Cass, or your mother? Why did we become friends, family, when I'm so much younger than you? Why did I get a job at the base, instead of a grocery store, why such friends with SG-1 and not some other team? And why am I so small?"

"Anda, don't do this to yourself," interjected Cassie. "I know what you believe, and I know you live what you believe, and that you've definitely got something going. But - be reasonable! True, someone had to have made this universe, and miracles happen, but why would God ask you to go risk your life on some crazy mission when you're only a kid? I mean, that's just like the Goa'uld, and, trust me, you don't want to serve a god like that."

"Not like the Goa'uld, Cass. Or Buddha or Allah or whatever."

"Yeah, I know, you've told me before, but Anda, it's not worth risking your life for."

"Strange. I'd think it is, because He died for me."

"Anda! If Jesus really loved you, He wouldn't ask this!"

"You're right. He loves me. And I love Him. He loves me so much He died for me. I love Him so much I live for Him. And... if He's worth living for... then He's worth dying for."

"Fine. You've got a point, and you've got faith. But you don't know for certain that God wants this!"

"I don't. But, Cass, remember Queen Esther? She faced death to save her people, and I don't think she was entirely certain either. But her uncle, he said..." Anda searched her memory. "He said, 'Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" And Esther said..."

Anda looked at the two compassionate faces before her, at the faces of her friends who cared for her. She smiled at them through her tears. She knew what she had to do, and how scared she was to do it, but she knew that she would have help.

Anda said to them, "She said, fast and pray for me. And if I perish, I perish."

Now Cassie and Carolyn were crying too. Cassie reached out to hug Anda. "You're really going to go through with this," she whispered.

Anda nodded. "For such a time as this..."

She felt Carolyn's hand on her shoulder. "Mira, we won't let you do this alone."

_Thank you, Lord.

* * *

_

She stood by the large plexiglass window, looking at the Stargate. She would've been sick if Dr. Lam hadn't given her something for her nerves.

"You're going to go to another planet where the Odyssey will beam you up. From there, it'll be a half hour to your destination, where they'll beam you down. As soon as SG-1 gets you out of the containment field, we'll be able to beam you all up and bring you home."

"Yes, sir," Anda said automatically. Two alien planets in one day! Going through a wormhole, and then through a transporter beam - what was this, Star Trek?

"Then it'll be just like you practiced yesterday, Anda," said Dr. Lee. "It'll be different, sure, but.. well, you know."

Anda didn't. Yesterday after church, she had come to the base to tell the general what she'd decided. They'd spent the rest of the afternoon and a good part of the evening training her in a mock-up course they'd already built. Plus they'd told her how to operate their phasers, which they called ZATs, and other things she really didn't want to know - like how to work grenades and plastic explosives.

When she'd asked Dr. Lee why they'd had everything ready for her, he'd told her, "You're not the first one the general asked, Anda. He looked up every - uh - petite person in the armed forces first. Unfortunately, most of those were young ladies, in college or the academies, and they didn't want to do this. And they told him so, right away, even before he told them they'd be doing it on another planet. He even talked to some of our allies, but they didn't want to, either. You were his last chance, Anda."

She turned away from viewing the massive gate and took a seat at the conference table. This, she supposed, was what they called a briefing in all the movies. Hero goes off on an impossible mission with the soulful words of his commanding officers ringing in his ears.

All Anda heard was their concern and fear.

"Everything's been timed exactly," Dr. Lee went on. "Intelligence shows that once every week the compound lets down its outer particle shields to, uh, vent -"

"Ah, Dr. Lee," Anda interrupted, "You told me this yesterday." She still got queasy at the thought of it. Fortunately, the duct she would be crawling through was out of use - according to the reports, anyway. Anda prayed that they were right.

"Right."

General Landry cleared his throat. "You don't have to do this. You can still back out now if you want, Anda."

Anda was ashamed at how long and seriously she considered his suggestion.

Finally: "No, thank you sir."

"Tell Colonel Mitchell I'm gonna hold him personally responsible for your safety."

"Yes, sir. Personally responsible, sir," said Anda. _If he's still alive, I'll be happy to tell him that._

She tried hard to cancel out the "if".

"Ready?"

"No, sir." Anda felt her stomach turn again. "But I'd better do it anyway."

"That's the spirit."

Anda couldn't help but let out a small groan as she climbed down the stairs and went through the big metal doors into the gateroom. Dr. Lam was already there. She was going with Anda to the Odyssey, thank God.

"Nothing to it, Anda," she said, as the big gate started steaming and turning. "Just walk through. Close your eyes, if you want. Next thing you know, you'll be on the other side."

Anda couldn't speak, so she nodded.

Then the seventh symbol slid into place, and a shimmering wall of light leapt out of nowhere, shooting out toward Anda before collapsing back into the center of the great circle. Anda jumped, and let out a stifled scream.

"Oh, sorry, Anda." said the doctor, with a guilty look. "I forgot to tell you it did that."

Anda glared at her, and shook her arms and breathed deeply, trying to stop the trembling.

"Anda," called the general from the control room above. She looked up, nervous, and could see that she wasn't the only one. "Good luck. And - we'll be praying for you."

The doctor held out her hand. Anda took it, and they walked up the ramp together.

The dazzling blue started swallowing up her field of vision, and they drew closer and closer and closer until...

Anda closed her eyes and took the final step.

* * *

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" asked Carolyn, as they walked slowly towards the beam-out location aboard the Odyssey.

"No, you were right. The beaming up wasn't bad, either." Anda slowed her step. Dr. Lam was good. She'd kept Anda busy the last half hour, showing her around the Odyssey, keeping her talking. Trying to leave no room - or at least no time - for the fear.

Anda hadn't really heard anything she'd said. She tried to concentrate on the lines running through her head, to keep the fear from working its way into her heart. "Be strong and very courageous...I will never leave you nor forsake you...To whom much has been given, much will be required... the incomparable power that is for us who believe...this is love: that Jesus Christ laid down his life for us... no greater love has a man than this..."

Anda had to make an effort to finish that one. "...That he lay down his life for his friend."

She didn't want to die.

But she knew she might.

They reached the beam-out point. The clock on the wall ticked on. Two minutes, less.

"Anda, I wish I could go with you. I wish I could do this for you..."

One minute.

"Remember what Dr. Lee told you, what Dad said and the Major ..."

Ten seconds.

"We're praying for you."

Anda smiled, as she felt an unearthly peace spread through her. "Don't worry, Doctor," she said.

She turned on the alien device that would make her invisible and stepped to the centre of the room.

_And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your heart and your mind..._

"I'm in good hands."

Zero hour.

She saw a flash of blue light, and disappeared in it.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Can you tell I like Dr. Lam? 


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Hmm, guess no one liked the last chapter. Or were afraid to comment on it... well, the adventure continues now and - for the first time in this fic - something blows up.

_

* * *

_

_When you get to the ground, the first thing you must do is take cover._

Anda ducked into the bushes, just as she'd trained the day before.

_You'll have a minute, two maximum, to get into the pipe._

Anda looked at it with distaste. The one she'd trained in was clean plastic. This one was rusty, with moss and small plants growing around its rim. She couldn't see more than two feet in.

Best not to think about it, just to do.

She thanked God for the gloves that protected her hands and the hat that would keep her longish black hair from getting caught in the...

Best not to think about it.

Anda climbed into the pipe.

Once she was all the way in, she took a minute to breathe, and let her eyes get accustomed to the light. Just like in training. But here her heart was pounding so loud she could almost hear it echo in the pipe. The air was foul and the pipe was scratchy in some places, slimy in others. She could hear liquid rushing through other pipes that must be nearby. Hopefully, none of them would connect with hers. Anda closed her eyes and visualized the route she must take.

Then she opened her eyes and started crawling. _One... two... three..._

She couldn't stop counting, couldn't afford to count wrong._ Four... five..._

Anda reached the first turn without losing count. _God, help me..._

_Be strong and very courageous._

_Your mind will play tricks on you. You'll imagine all sorts of things. Try to think of only one thing, only your counting. Think of where you're going. Never stop counting. And never stop breathing._

In the low light, she saw patches of rust, patches of other things, and she knew she'd rub against them all. She'd gone into the pipe headfirst, with her arms in front of her, and was wiggling along like a snake, pushing with her legs and then using her elbows.

_Seventeen... eighteen..._

Anda thought she saw something. She stopped, to calm herself down, to breathe. _It's only your imagination,_ she told herself.

She went on.

It was dark, cold, foul, like a tomb. She was sure that there was a limited amount of air.

The next turn. _Control_, she told herself,_ don't lose your control. Two more turns, that's all. Two more._

There was no light anymore, not even a little coming in from faraway openings.

_You'll have to be extra careful here, we don't know if there will be other openings, or drop offs._

It would be a horrible way to die, trapped in a hole on another planet, falling to who-knows-what, with no light, no air, nothing.

_Thirty-five...thirty-six..._

_You're going to die..._

_No!_ she told herself. _Not here, not now. God will protect me._

_No one can stop death..._

He did! He rose from the dead!

_There is nothing you can do..._

Anda closed her eyes, and the hot tears burned them. She was breathing hard, trying not to scream.

_Two more turns. You're on number forty-one._

She was breathing faster, something told her that this was not good, that she was hyperventilating, that she should slow down.

Anda struggled.

_OK, _she yelled inwardly. _There is nothing I can do._

_But there is nothing God can't do._

_Forty-one. Forty-one. Two more turns, and forty-one._

Her breathing slowed, and she continued.

Eternity passed in the darkness.

_The light will come,_ she told herself. She had to believe it._ It will come._

She couldn't tell when it actually did come. All she knew was that somehow it crossed the border between hallucination and reality, and it was there.

The end of the tunnel. Anda crawled faster. The light became stronger, the air clearer. She thought she heard voices.

_Thank you, dear Jesus.

* * *

_

_Stop one meter from the end. I know it'll be hard, but you have to. Let your eyes get used to the light. Make sure you can see, find out if it's really SG-1, make sure you can see them all. Then turn of the device that makes you invisible, and speak softly to them. They may not hear you at first, so go slowly towards the end._

Anda didn't think she could make herself stop, but she did. She waited for half a minute that seemed to be half an hour.

She saw Teal'c and Dr. Jackson, sleeping. She saw Colonel Mitchell and Colonel Carter, talking quietly in a corner. They looked terrible. Anda decided that she didn't like Baal.

She crept closer, and tried her voice. "Colonel Mitchell," she squeaked. Disgusted, she cleared her throat and tried again. "Colonel Carter, over here."

Their voices stopped.

"You hear something?"

"Colonel Mitchell, Colonel Carter!"

"Yeah, you?"

"That's odd."

"From under that bench?"

"Yeah."

"OVER HERE!" Anda whispered as loud as she could.

"Careful, Cam, it could be another of Baal's psychological tricks."

"I recognize that voice..."

"Please, it's me, get me out of here!"

"It sounds like..."

To her relief, Anda saw hands scrabbling at the grate, looking for a way to pull it off. Then another pair of hands joined in, and the light flooded in as the barrier gave way.

"Anda!"

"Oh, my -"

"Colonel, please!" said Anda.

Carter and Mitchell exchanged stunned glances. "Yup, that's Anda all right."

"Can you give me a hand, please? I'd kind of like to get out of here."

They pulled her out and sat her in a corner, shielding her from view with their bodies.

"What are you -"

"How the -"

"Did they -"

"General Landry must be out of his mind -"

"Are you ok?"

Dr. Jackson and Teal'c joined them now, bombarding her with questions, asking if she was all right.

"Shhh, please," Anda said. "General Landry sent me with presents for you all."

"I thought Santa Claus was supposed to come through the chimney, not the air pipe."

She grinned at them, relieved to finally be out of the dark loneliness. She pulled some packets out of a vest pocket. "Dr. Lam said to give this to you first. Painkillers, and some isotope that will make you invisible to the sensors."

"You are an angel, Anda!" It hurt her to see how eagerly they reached for them.

"I hope they sent weapons?" asked Colonel Mitchell.

"Four ZATs. Some C4. A detonator. I wouldn't carry any guns, in case they went off when I was..."

"Carter, looks like we're going to check out of here a little early."

Colonel Carter picked up the C4 and detonator. "Well, Baal hasn't been the greatest host."

"Oh, sad joke, Sam," said Daniel, swallowing the painkillers and reaching for a ZAT.

_SG-1 will get you out of there. But it won't be easy. Are you sure you don't want a ZAT? There's going to be shooting. You're small, so there's less chance of you getting hit, because the Jaffa are used to aiming at, well, adult-sized targets. Stay close by SG-1; they'll take care of you. It'll be combat though, so let me show you a few things I learned in Special Ops... _

Anda paled as she realized that the hard part was really just beginning.

Teal'c read the anxiety on her face. "We will protect you at all costs, Miranda Wong," he said.

"Yeah, Anda. You're going to get home safe. That I promise you."

Anda smiled at the Colonel. "The general said to tell you that he'd hold you personally responsible for my safety."

"So will I."

"Hit the deck, it's going in five!"

They ducked, and then a shockwave pulsed through them as the explosive went off, opening a hole to freedom.

"Time to go home, gang."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Sorry if this ends in an akward place. I had to split up a really long section into two parts. But yeah. Baal shows up, and I crack corny jokes.

_

* * *

_

_What can I say, Anda? War is war. There's no way around it, it's all over the world, all through time. It's not for children but children are sometimes made to fight in it. You won't have to, but you'll still experience it. They say the first time is the worst time, but it's something you'll never get used to and never want to get used to. You're fortunate, Anda, you'll have the four finest people in the force with you, and they'll get you out of there or die trying. You'll have to do you part, too, even though you'll probably be frightened half out of your mind..._

_Come on, girl, don't be so jumpy, _Anda told herself._ All we're doing right now is walking down the hall, and just because they all have their weapons raised doesn't mean anyone will start shooting at us. Oh, dear God, help me to be strong and courageous, because right now I'm scared to death._

"Watch out!"

Colonel Mitchell's warning came a second to late. A ball of fire flew down the corridor and smashed into the wall. Anda thought she might have screamed as she leapt towards the wall, but she couldn't tell. There was so much noise, and most of it came from her own heart pounding, pounding in her ears, but some was thunder, following the lightning that flashed in the hall. She tried to shut the sounds out of her ears, but there was still the noise, the sights and the smells of strife and struggle over who would live, and who would die.

_What's it really like_, she'd asked the Major.

He'd thought for a minute, trying to imagine what it would be like for one as young as her. _Like hell might be an understatement,_ he'd finally said.

Right now Anda agreed, she couldn't imagine anything worse, more terrifying. She knew she had to stay with the group, though, so she stuck by Colonel Carter, following her down the hall, through the smoke and flames, always staying close to the wall, taking advantage of every friendly nook and cranny.

The minutes - or were they hours? - passed in a daze, and then suddenly the sounds had died down, and no one was shooting, and they were all peering carefully around, making sure there were no enemies left.

Once more they walked briskly down the passage, pausing now and again to step over fallen Jaffa. Anda, horror-struck, went with them, her numb mind repeating the prayer, _Lord, save us._

"Come on, Daniel!" Colonel Carter shouted as they ran down the corridor. Anda followed close by Teal'c, and tried her best to keep up with his long stride. At least for now they weren't running from anyone.

Carter and Mitchell disappeared around the bend; then there was the sound of their ZATs firing.

"Teal'c! Get out her out of here!" came Mitchell's voice, but it was too late.

They had rounded the bend already, Teal'c and Jackson and Anda. A hatchway of some sort slid shut behind them, and they stood facing five Jaffa warriors with raised staffs.

Behind the Jaffa was a dark-haired man dressed in a classy European-cut suit.

"Kneel before your god!" cried the lead Jaffa.

So this was Baal, Anda guessed, and peeked at him from behind Dr. Jackson and Teal'c. She'd been expecting someone a little more - well, not so businesslike. Someone who looked like a crazed villain.

Mitchell and Carter reluctantly lowered their ZATs.

"I was going to visit you again soon, you know. But it seems you've saved me the trouble."

Anda shivered at the deep, echoey voice. It sounded like he was talking underwater.

"Yeah, well, we were actually just on our way out. I hate to say this, Baal, but your ...reception area sucks."

Baal affected an injured look, then said, "I'm so sorry it doesn't meet with your approval. Why don't you come have a look with me, suggest some improvements." His smile was threatening.

"No, thanks," Mitchell answered, quickly. "It just needs a little redecoration, don't you think, Carter?"

"Uh, yeah. Baal, I think 'Paris cafe' would go over better than 'medieval torture chamber'."

"And you might want to get rid of some of your bellboys," added Mitchell, gesturing to the Jaffa.

Baal's smirk was professionally evil. "Well, I suppose I could always fire some of the staff."

Dr. Jackson groaned. "I think you watched too much cheap comedy while you were on Earth."

The Jaffa brandished their weapons at him and he backed away. "Ok, I get it, laugh at the bad guy's joke. Ha ha."

Baal motioned some of his Jaffa aside and stepped closer, smirking. Then he noticed Anda. His smirk grew wider.

"What's this, Mitchell, bring-your-child-to-work day? A most annoying custom of you Tau'ri, I must say."

Anda gulped as he motioned for his Jaffa. Teal'c and Dr. Jackson stepped closer to her, and a defiant Mitchell blocked Baal's path.

"You will only touch her," he said, voice low and threatening, "over my dead body."

Baal smiled. "My dear boy," he said, "I would be delighted to arrange that."

Even though she was only a teenager and a civilian, Anda knew that this situation was deteriorating fast. Someone was going to get hurt soon, if no one did anything. She looked up at Teal'c, but he only met her gaze and motioned slightly with his head.

What is that supposed to mean? she asked herself, and then she saw. Mitchell was standing right in front of her, with his arms behind his back. One of them held a ZAT.

He can't be serious. She looked up at Teal'c, as if to say, _Why don't you take it?_

He raised his eyebrow ever so slightly. _Think._

Anda thought, and then knew why. The Jaffa were concentrating on Baal and Mitchell. They also had staffs trained on Carter, Teal'c, and Jackson. They'd just overlooked her - which was not such a hard thing to do, considering her small size.

Anda reached out and took the ZAT. What happens now? she wondered.

Mitchell gave Anda a thumbs-up sign behind his back, then stepped forward slightly. _Wait for it_, he seemed to be saying.

To Baal, he said, "I don't think you really want to do that. Funeral costs are so high these days."

He kept moving closer, despite the Jaffa's lowered staffs. Anda saw what he was trying to do, and swallowed. He was taking an awful risk...

"You could have killed us the moment we got here. But you've kept us around so long, and I don't think it was just for our delightful company. And then all those questions. You still need answers, don't you?"

He came too close for Baal's bodyguards. But instead of shooting him, the lead Jaffa lashed out with his staff, knocking Mitchell to the ground.

Anda raised the ZAT and fired, right at Baal. She didn't miss, but let out a little scream and then then hit the deck as staff weapons started firing.

She saw Carter raise her ZAT and fire, while Teal'c wrestled the lead Jaffa and Jackson tried to get hold of a staff weapon. Carter, seeing Jackson's predicament, tossed him her ZAT, blocked a staff blow and dispatched her assailant with a high kick to the jaw. Somehow Mitchell was up again, armed with a staff weapon and helping Teal'c finish off the rest of the Jaffa.

"Carter, get the door, Anda, are you all right?"

Anda nodded. Mitchell helped her up and then wiped the blood from his cheek. "Uh, Teal'c, let's leave the, um, unfinished business - " he indicated Baal's senseless figure - "until Anda's out, ok?"

Anda didn't want to know what their "unfinished business" was. She just wanted to go home.

"Stick by me, Anda," said Dr. Jackson as they entered the corridor. "Uh, Sam, I hope you know where we're going?"

A single staff weapon fired in the room that they'd come from, and Anda shuddered.

"Yeah, the controls for the field generator are down this way, we passed them when Baal was taking us to the cell."

"There's a memory for you," said Jackson as they started moving down the hall.

"Comes with being a genius, I suppose," added Mitchell.

"Well, there are a few perks."

Anda couldn't help smiling. They were crazy, making jokes like that when they were being hunted, and had just barely escaped from a power-hungry villain. And they weren't out of trouble yet, not by a long shot.


	7. Chapter 7

They came to a branch in the path. Carter started to turn left, but then looked down the corridor and thought the better of it. "There goes that idea. There's a whole squadron of Jaffa there, coming fast."

"Carter?"

"Fresh out of ideas, sir."

"Fine, let's do this my way."

"That could be dangerous," Jackson muttered.

"Back the way we came, there's a glider bay..."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" yelled Carter, as the Jaffa opened fire.

"Too busy being shot at, I suppose," Mitchell shouted as he took cover and returned fire.

Teal'c shielded Anda as they retreated quickly down the hall. Anda wished she had a helmet, or a Kevlar vest, although she suspected neither would really help against the Jaffa's weapons. She just prayed like crazy.

Finally, finally, after a whirlwind of running, ducking, hiding, and shooting they came there, to a place that was quiet, but still not safe. Carter activated the heavy door, and they all breathed a sigh of relief as it slid shut.

"We need the particle shielding down so we can fly out, Carter."

"I know. How much time do I have?"

The door started shaking beneath the force of many blows.

"Not much."

"Anda, get in a glider."

"Yessir." She approached the sleek black craft with caution. It was about the size of a small airplane, she supposed. Then she stopped. "Um, how do I open it?" It had always looked so easy in Star Wars!

They all got a chuckle out of that, but it faded as the thumps on the door grew louder.

"Sam, we're running out of time here."

"Don't you think I know that?" she snapped, intent on her work.

"Sorry."

Anda could see patches on the door where the metal was starting to melt. They were growing larger with every additional thump.

"Ok, it's down, go, go!"

The door gave way and a hail of orange fire came through.

"Carter, get her out of here!!"

Colonel Carter came towards the glider, firing back over her shoulder. She jumped in in front of Anda, then quickly strapped in as she started it up.

The others were retreating to the gliders now, too. Anda saw Dr. Jackson leap into one, but then the sky leapt towards her and she realized that they'd taken off.

"Some help here, guys, I don't know how to fly!" came Dr. Jackson's voice from over the glider's radio.

Concerned, Anda looked back down and immediately regretted it. All she could see of the compound was a small black hole the size of a pinhead, which they had come through. The rest was only a grassy foothill. Something small shot out of the hole, followed a little later by something else. Then everything blurred and swiveled, changing into blue. The glider was turning, Anda realized, and she felt her stomach turn in the opposite direction. She groaned.

"Teal'c, Cam, are you in the air?"

"Indeed. Daniel Jackson is with me."

"Yup, but Sam, we're not the only ones."

Carter muttered something under her breath. Anda was too sick to notice. "Did I ever tell you I've never flown before?" she croaked.

Carter risked a look back. "Oh, no, don't get sick, not in here! Next time you can fly with one of the guys..."

"How soon till we clear the field, Carter?"

"Maybe two minutes for me, sir, about three for you and Teal'c."

"Contact the Odyssey for beam out as soon as you can. We'll get there as soon as we can shake these suckers."

Anda saw the green planet again as Carter turned the glider upside down. She caught a glimpse of flashes of light passing between black forms, and one explosion, and then the view rotated back to the darkening blue sky. Anda decided that her stomach really hadn't needed that.

"Mitchell, are you sure you don't need any help down there?"

"Yeah, get out of here, we don't need - Teal'c, you've got one on your tail!"

Carter sighed and gave the controls an angry jerk. Anda groaned and closed her eyes.

"Stupid pilots, outnumbered and outgunned, and you still think you can get away with it, there's gonna be more coming and they'll launch something bigger soon..." Carter was muttering as she listened to Teal'c and Mitchell call to each other on the radio. She looked back at Anda.

"Well, we'd better get you beamed out of here first, at any rate," she said.

"Yes, please, Colonel," Anda begged. They hadn't prepared her for flying, especially not flying into space.

"Mitchell, you've picked up two of them!" came Jackson's voice.

"I know, lemme get this one out of your way first...watch it, Teal'c someone's coming from above!"

"Acknowledged, Colonel Mitchell..."

"Odyssey, come in, Odyssey, this is Colonel Carter, come in please..."

"Yeah, Teal'c, that's two down for us!"

"Could use a little help here..."

"I am unable to assist you, Colonel Mitchell..."

"Odyssey, respond! We've got a situation here..."

"Oh, come on, that was my wing..."

"Teal'c, watch out for that one, coming in fast..."

"Odyssey, forget it, I'll call back later!"

Anda opened her eyes and found that they had turned around, and were now streaking towards the ground. "What's happening?"

"Anda, listen up."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Listen to me, Anda, I know you're sick, but I need your help."

Anda wondered why she'd started hearing that a lot lately.

"There's a panel near your right hand, it controls the heads-up on the back of my chair..."

Anda looked through bleary eyes. "I see them," she said, wondering why she hadn't noticed before.

"There's a round red ball, with a green button nearby I think."

"Uh-huh."

"It controls the main guns. Ball moves it, like a mouse, the crosshairs on your screen are you target, the button fires it. Just like a video game."

"Wait, I can't shoot at anyone!"

"Anda, please, I haven't flown one of these for a long time, and if Cam can't shake the others, they must be good. I need a gunner..."

Anda could see the other gliders now, caught up in a fierce aerial battle.

"Cam, where do you need me?"

"Sam! If Anda's still with you, I swear I'll..."

"Mitchell, you've got one coming in for the kill!"

"I'm on it, Teal'c, stay clear!" Carter's voice drowned out Mitchell's exclamations.

"Come on, Anda, don't let me down..."

"How do I know which one's the right one?" she wailed as they hurtled into the fray.

"Cam's right wing is trailing debris... come on, you stupid glider, turn!"

"I see it.. " Anda wiped her eyes and tried to focus as she moved the controls experimentally. There was the glider with the torn wing, and here was another, almost straight ahead, getting closer as Carter dove down towards it.

Just like a video game, she told herself. Except that there was a living being, an alien but still a living being, flying the small black glider.

"Anda, we'll have it in three.."

Her sweaty fingers slipped, and the view on the screen changed to so that she saw the other glider, twisting and diving.

"Two..."

She frantically pulled at the joystick, because there was a living person in that glider, too, and she couldn't just let him die.

"One..."

War is war. It's cruel, a terrible thing.

"Fire!"

The glider was square in her sights. _Lord, forgive me_, she prayed, and pressed the button.

Carter banked the glider to the side to avoid the flying fragments. "Nice shot, Anda!"

Anda just wanted to go home.

"Thanks, Sam. Teal'c, what's your status?"

"Um, we're still alive, and we should be able to make a break for it soon!" came Jackson's voice.

"Carter, go help them out while I take care of this one."

"Roger that, but we really need to get out of here, there's gonna be more coming." Carter banked the glider again, sending them towards another dogfight.

"No, Teal'c and I blasted the glider bay as soon as we got out, but they still managed to get a few off the ground, so these are all there are..."

Colonel Carter sent the glider into a barrel roll as another glider came across their path, shooting. Then another glider intercepted it, sending it to the ground in a ball of flame.

"Nice one, Daniel!"

"OK, Sam, we'll be cutting out here as soon as Mitchell's ready."

"Just about there...come on...yeah!"

Anda heard an explosion as Carter dropped back to avoid another glider.

"Now we can leave! Sam, can you cover my back, I don't know if this wing'll hold up.."

"Um, sure, Cam."

Anda thought Carter sounded a little guilty.

"If he finds out who my gunner was, I'm in trouble," she explained as she flew towards Mitchell's glider, careful not to offer him a glimpse into the cockpit.

"Can we go home now? I really, really, really do not want to have to shoot at anything again."

"Ok, Anda. Look, I'm sorry you got into any of this at all, but you have no idea how much you've helped us. We owe you so much."

"You don't owe me anything," said Anda, closing her eyes as a wave of queasiness swept over her. Solid ground would feel so good...

"It wasn't me."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Last chapter! Sorry the story isn't that great - I wrote it two years ago, I think... But please, review and let me know what you think! I know there's people reading this who aren't reviewing...so please just jot down a line or two? It's the last chance you'll get, so please make use of it!

* * *

"Physically, she's in good shape, just a little stressed and exhausted. I had her talk with some of the psychologists, they say she's in great shape considering all she's been through."

Anda was barely listening to Dr. Lam; she was enjoying the feel of clean, comfortable clothes, clean skin and hair, and good solid Earth beneath her feet. Even if she was in a conference room under a mountain. Cassie sat next to her, listening intently to Dr. Lam.

"Of course, she's got a little more claustrophobic and she's still afraid of flying, but that's minor."

"So the next trip we take should be by car," said Cassie.

The general chuckled, then looked at his daughter.

She shrugged. "Well, it wouldn't be such a bad idea. Other than that, Anda, you're fine. SG-1 is a totally different story - "

"We're alive," interrupted Jackson, "which is more healthy than dead."

"I agree with Dr. Jackson," said Mitchell, stressing the "Doctor".

"I believe we must thank Miranda Wong for that," Teal'c said.

"Oh, it wasn't me, it was God," Anda said earnestly.

"Well, thank God then," said Cassie, "But I never could've done that, Anda."

"Yeah, she was amazing!"

"When she first showed up, I thought I was hallucinating."

"If you were older, Anda, I'd want you on SG-1 for sure."

"What about we make her an honorary member?"

"Sounds good."

"You have a warrior's spirit, Miranda Wong."

Anda blushed at the high praise.

"Well, if there's ever anything we can do for you, Anda, let us know," said the general.

"I don't think there is, sir."

"Are you sure? A summer internship in some department? Recommendation letters for college? A week's vacation on another planet?"

"Ohh, you should definitely go to P5X - 93K, it's every girl's dream," said Carter, eyes lighting up at the memory.

Anda stifled a smile as the male members of SG-1 gave her odd looks.

"What?" said Carter, looking at them.

Mitchell looked away and shook his head, while Dr. Jackson rolled his eyes. Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

Anda giggled at the look on Carter's face. "No, thank you, sir, I think Earth is good enough for me."

Landry smiled. "Well, you've done it a great service."

"Thank you, sir. Um, just to make sure, sir, you're not going to, uh..."

"Ask you to do something like this again?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not if I can help it."

"Thank you, sir."

The general stood up, and everyone else rose too. "If there's anything you need, feel free to ask."

"Thank you, sir," said Anda. "But I've already got everything I need."

Cassie threw an arm around Anda as they prepared to leave. "Come on, Esther.

"Let's go home."


End file.
